What's The Big Deal About Giving?
We get it. Students don’t have much money. Which makes it tricky when like 80% of your parish is composed of students. We also know that for many of you, St. AJs is your parish for just four years; however, when we come together and offer just a few dollars a month, it makes a huge difference.
Even if you give just $5 a month, a week, or whatever, we are incredibly thankful for your contribution, and we try and make it as easy for you as possible. Not many people carry cash anymore (and if they do, it’s usually for Halal #amiright), but did you know you can donate via venmo @saints-aj or that you can set up automatic payments here? Recurring payments are ideal, but spare change is also appreciated!
So this is OUR invitation to YOU to join our Hi-5 Campaign, created with a student’s budget in mind. It’s a way to express gratitude for the gift of this ministry, and all it takes is just a $5 a month commitment. Click here to join now.
Why give?
It’s pretty easy to see why, from the Church ceiling needing repair, the decimation of the old Newman Center, to the programs like bringing in speakers and running retreats. But let’s go a little bit deeper. The below is adopted from an article by David Murray on Christianity.com.
1. Giving obeys God’s command
There are a ton of commands throughout the Bible about giving, such as 1 Corinthians 1:2, and we know that God’s commands are given to enhance our lives. So to put it simply, obeying this command will increase our happiness.
2. Giving submits to God’s Lordship
Our submission is really tested in the areas where our own nature and situation make obedience more difficult. For most of us, money is one of those areas. Our wallet is often the last citadel to fall to God’s rule, and even when it does fall, it gets rebuilt and re-secured again all too quickly.
3. Giving exhibits God’s heart
God is THEE giver of every good and perfect gift (James 1:17). As His image-bearers we are called to copy His giving. Made in His image, right?
4. Giving illustrates God’s salvation
At the heart of the Gospel is sacrificial self-giving (John 3:16). That’s why when the Apostle Paul wanted to encourage the Corinthians to give more, he pointed them to the person and work of Christ. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 2:9).
5. Giving trusts God’s provision
The biggest deterrent to giving is fear, the fear that if I give away too much I won’t have enough for this or that. When we give sacrificially, above and beyond what is comfortable and easy, we are expressing our faith and trust in God to provide for us and our family.
6. Giving widens God’s smile
The Lord loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 2:7). It delights Him to see His people gladly opening their hearts and hands to provide for the needs of His Church and indeed of all His children. Through Paul, God repeatedly commends and praises those who gave of their funds and of themselves to Gospel work (2 Corinthians 8:1). There’s nothing that makes a Christian happier than knowing that she’s made God happy, and happy giving means a happy God.
7. Giving advances God’s kingdom
Many of us have contributed to Apple in one way or another. We have helped to grow the company from a garage operation to the worldwide empire it is today. But think of what blessing results when we fund the mission of Christ’s church. We are paying salaries of ministers and missionaries. We are funding resources for outreach, evangelism, and discipleship. But above all we are investing in building God’s kingdom on earth. And that…in a way…is priceless.
8. Giving doesn’t take much
Man, think about how one smile can change your day. Think about how that one compliment was what you really needed in class. God can take such LITTLE things, like a dollar, and do something transformative with it.